1999 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

HEAD GASKET FAILED ON 1999 SUBARU AT 38,000. CAR WAS MAINTAINED RELIGIOUSLY. SUBARU RECALL WAS NEVER SENT TO ME. I WAS TOLD MY CAR WAS THE 'WRONG PHASE ENGINE' TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CAR HAD OVERHEATED 3 MONTHS EARLIER. SUBARU FLUSHED THE SYSTEM AND ADDED 'SPECIAL COOLANT LUBRICANT'. THIS WAS WORTHLESS. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $2000+, EVEN THOUGH MY FAMILY HAS PURCHASED 4 SUBARU'S FROM THE SAME DEALER. AFTER A LOT OF SCREAMING AND YELLING, THEY REPLACED BOTH GASKETS, RADIATOR, THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP. I ENDED UP PAYING $250. DEALER, (WAKEFIELD SURBARU, WAKEFIELD MA.) HELPED CONVINCED SUBARU CORPORATE TO FOOT MOST OF THE EXPENSE. LATER WHEN SUBARU OIL FILTERS FAILED (LEAKS) AND AFTER MORE SCREAMING AND YELLING WITH THIS DEALER SHIP, (AFTER THEY SAID I WAS MAKING UP THE LEAK PROBLEM) I'VE CHANGED DEALERSHIPS WHO HAS A MORE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CENTER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE VEHICLE HAS GOODYEAR REGATTA 2 TIRES, SIZE 205/70/15. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING. THE VIBRATIONS WORSENED AS THE SPEED INCREASED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND HE STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER TIRES EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE ROAD FORCE VARIATIONS. A ROAD FORCE BALANCING MEASUREMENT WAS PERFORMED ON THE DEFECTIVE TIRES; HOWEVER, THE FOUR TIRES MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED UNIFORM WEAR AND TREAD LIFE. THE TIRES WERE TEMPORARILY ROTATED TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE TIRES. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING ALL FOUR TIRES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,355 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 127,305. UPDATED 8/10/09 *CN UPDATED 08/13/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING FAILED AND PUNCTURED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT DID NOT REALIZE THE FAILURE UNTIL THE TIRE WAS CHANGED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER (01V216000). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 171,798.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: BLOWN HEAD GASKETS 1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK DOHC. *TR

1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER FAILURE. INTERMITTANT PROBLEM. INFORMED BY DEALER THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1999 SUBARU'S. DEALER INFORMS CUSTOMER THAT PROBLEM IS ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARD ISSUE. SPEEDOMETER REPLACED BY DEALER AT COST OF $315. SUBARU PART NUMBER 85020AC330. CONSUMER HAS OLD, FAILED UNIT. THIS IS NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE A "WEAR" TYPE ITEM. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS SUBARU MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *TR

SPEEDOMETER PERIODICALLY DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE FOUND THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE MODELS AND IT IS NOT EASY TO GET IT REPLACED. KNOWING THE SPEED WHEN DRIVING IS VERY IMPORTANT. I AM PETRIFIED MOST OF THE TIME THAT CHP IS GOING TO PULL ME OVER ON HIGHWAY. IT TYPICALLY GOES OUT IN HIGHWAY DRIVING. I JUST BOUGHT THIS, BUT IT IS OBVIOUS PRIOR OWNER HAD ISSUES WITH IT AS MANY OTHER PEOPLE ONLINE WITH SAME YEAR MODEL. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. ALSO, NONE OF THE BELLS, BUZZERS, ALARM GIZMOS ASSOCIATED WITH OPENING THE DOOR AND PUTTING ON SEATBELTS IS WORKING. I THINK THIS IS ALL RELATED. *TR

MY 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON ISSUED A CEL WITH A 440 CODE. IN FINDING THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, I DISCOVERED THAT THE GAS FILL PIPE BELOW THE GAS CAP HAS ROTTED OUT AND HAS DEVELOPED, HOLES LEADING TO RAW GAS SPILLAGE AND FAILURE OF THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM. THE DESIGN OF THE COVER AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THIS PIPE CAUSED THE ACCUMULATION OF DIRT AND DEBRIS OVER THE YEARS THAT HAS RUSTED THE PIPE FROM THE OUTSIDE IN. THIS IS A POOR DESIGN THAT ALLOWS THE DIRT TO COLLECT HERE. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE MANUAL THAT INDICATES ANY CLEANING OF THIS AREA IS REQUIRED TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING. *TR

HEAD GASKET FAILED AT 125K MILES. I SPENT $1725 GETTING THE HEAD GASKET & CYLINDER BOLTS REPLACED. THE HEAD GASKET IS NOW FAILING AGAIN 9 MOS & 12K MILES LATER. I HAVE ALWAYS METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED THIS CAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND HE WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 39,000.

SPEEDOMETER FAILS SPONTANEOUSLY, INTERMITTENTLY AND FREQUENTLY. INDICATED SPEED DROPS TO ZERO. RETURNS SPONTANEOUSLY AFTER 10 SECONDS TO 15 MINUTES. NOT VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR (VSS) OR WIRING/CONNECTOR RELATED. SERVICE TECHNICIAN FOUND SPEEDOMETER CIRCUIT BOARD DELAMINATED, CAUSING COMPONENTS TO SEPARATE FROM CIRCUIT BOARD. STATED THIS APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY OEM SEALANT USED ON THE CIRCUIT BOARDS AS SEEN IN OTHER SUBARUS AND MANY HONDA VEHICLES. SPEEDOMETER IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY AND LEGAL LIABILITY COMPONENT, WHICH PROVIDES CRITICAL FEEDBACK TO VEHICLE OPERATOR. MANY OTHER FAILURES REPORTED ON INTERNET. RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED IF FURTHER INVESTIGATION CONFIRMS DEFECT FREQUENCY. *JB